The Dove and the Huntress
by imaagine4ever
Summary: "It hurts," she said between sobs. "Shh," Aphrodite said, patting her soothingly on the back. "I know it does." -OR- In which Artemis needs a shoulder to cry on, and Aphrodite's there for her. No slash, just friendship. Post-BoO. ONESHOT. Rated T for paranoia.


**Alright, I know I could be updating If Happy Ever After did Exist, but this was a headcanon that hit me like a speeding freight train. I apologize for the shortness!**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, because Rick Riordan would have to deal with the stress of school and would be sitting around writing FF in his spare time because he has no social life whatsoever.**

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**Artemis POV**

She placed the shroud delicately over Phoebe's body. Her ginger-haired hunter laid, eyes closed, her hands folded over her chest, all pale and stone cold in a pale, stone-cold world. Even Phoebe's red hair seemed to have lost its fire, its glossy sheen.

Artemis shivered as another gust of freezing wind hit her. Bracing herself against the cold, she picked up the torch lying at her side, lighting its fire in one swift motion. Robotically, she set the shroud ablaze, watching the smoke curl up into the sky. She was immortal; she had seen death time and time again. In a sense, she was glad she had never fallen in love with any man, if only because she'd never had to experience the death of a partner.

Then why was she so affected by the loss of this Hunter? She of all people knew the brevity of mortal life. Even her Hunters, though they may have walked this Earth for thousands of years, eventually fell.

Overcome with too many questions, and too few answers, she began to sob, the tears streaking pathways down her face and flowing hot and thick. Sinking down to her knees, Artemis began to rock back and forth, back and forth, hugging herself. The tears did nothing to relieve the tension in her chest, only inflaming it.

Over and over again, another Hunter, another life lost, and all she did was go on and on and on, just existing, half the world not even knowing she existed, the other half knowing, but not caring. All she had were her Hunters, but they seemed more distant than ever, in this moment in time.

A hand fell onto her shoulder, and she jerked back, glancing up at the woman who stood above her and wiping tears from her eyes hastily. Her gaze hardened the moment she recognized her face.

Aphrodite. The goddess of love, her chocolate-brown hair tied in a simple braid, her kaleidoscope eyes lacking their usual sparkle, her face powder and lipstick-free, clad in a black dress with no distinguishing features, stood above Artemis. The goddess of love, who had argued with her day after day, eon after eon, over the matter of her Hunters, her virginity, her oath of maidenhood, was right next to her, acting as if they had been the closest of friends since the beginning of time.

"Aphrodite," she said, her voice hoarse, "if you've come to give me a lecture, now really isn't the time."

Aphrodite's face softened with sympathy, and she kneeled down next to Artemis. "I know what you're going through," she said gently. Artemis kept silent, staring at her hands, so she continued, "You're going through the loss of a daughter. These Hunters, they're your children. You've protected them and taken them under your wing. It hurts, doesn't it? The death of someone you love."

"Stop!" Artemis sobbed. "J-Just stop. Please." Taking a deep, shaky breath, she muttered, "Why are you even here?"

Aphrodite bit her bottom lip. "I know things between us have been… ah, _turbulent_ in the past, but I've come to say I'm sorry."

Artemis eyed her suspiciously. "Why after all this time?"

The love goddess didn't answer immediately, staring at her fingernails. "Many months ago, I talked to my daughter. Piper." Aphrodite smiled proudly. "The hero of Olympus. And as I spoke to her, I realized something. She was not like the rest of my children. My children have this reputation, you see, for being selfish, shallow gossipers with no purpose but to gush over magazines and pair couples together. They fall in love, and then break their partners' hearts. Piper's different. She's a fighter. She's so passionate, and when she loves someone, she makes a commitment that she will not break. And as I spoke to her, I realized that she was the perfect embodiment of love."

Artemis looked up curiously. Where was she going with this? Aphrodite continued, "So, I've come to apologize because love doesn't always have to be romantic, and I'm sorry for forcing that opinion on you. I used to think you didn't believe in love, but you do, probably even more than any of the other gods. The love that you have for your Hunters, the sisterly love that your Hunters share, all that is so powerful. Cherish it, Artemis."

Artemis' eyes filled with tears. She wasn't the weepy sort, but Aphrodite's speech had touched her heart with its sincerity. The love goddess leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug, and she broke down. "It hurts," she said between sobs.

"Shh," Aphrodite said, patting her soothingly on the back. "I know it does. But you'll get through it."

Artemis hiccupped. "I won't get over it. You know I won't."

"I didn't say you'd get over it, I said you'd get through it," Aphrodite said, pulling away from her. "You won't forget, but the pain of your memories will make you stronger." She smiled, and Artemis smiled back gratefully.

The love goddess and the maiden goddess, once enemies, now were finding common ground, now were existing in some form of peace.

"_After three thousand years, you think the gods can change their nature?"_

"_Yeah. I do."_

\- _The Last Olympian_, Rick Riordan.

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**Sooo? What did you think? I added the last bit, the quote, on a whim. **

**Did you like it? Hate it? Want to gouge your eyes out because it was so terrible?**

**Well, since I can't read minds (that would be FREAKING AWESOME though), leave your thoughts in a review! Thanks for reading!**


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